WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 6, 2010) – The National Park Foundation announced today that 5,000 teachers have registered for the upcoming Electronic Field Trip to Utah’s Bryce Canyon National Park. Nearly 100,000 students will be in the classrooms with those teachers on the date of the live broadcast, participating in activities led by Park Rangers and calling into the show to have questions answered live on air.

The Electronic Field Trip , which is a free resource, will take place on Tuesday, May 18th, 2010. The program, Discovering the Mysteries of Bryce Canyon National Park, will include two live hour-long broadcasts (10am ET and 1pm ET) from Bryce Canyon National Park, made available on participating public television stations. The broadcast will also be available online at http://www.brycecanyoneft.org, which also features interactive lesson plans and games. The FREE program is designed for students in 4th through 8th grades.

“The response from teachers and educators nationwide to the Bryce Canyon Electronic Field Trip has been fantastic, and there’s still time to register,” said Neil Mulholland, President and CEO of the National Park Foundation. “We believe that these field trips are a win-win, as they help connect kids to parks, and help teachers provide rich learning experiences for their students free of charge.”

The Foundation also announced today that seventeen students from schools surrounding Bryce Canyon National Park have been selected to host the show with Park Rangers. Students were selected from Panguitch Elementary School and Panguitch Middle School in Panguitch, UT and Bryce Valley Elementary School and Bryce Valley High School in Tropic, UT.

To date, schools in 46 states and Japan, Canada, Germany, Cuba, Italy, and Switzerland have already signed up to participate in the program. Educators wishing to sign up to participate can visit http://www.brycecanyoneft.org.

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You are the part-owner of 84 million acres of the world’s most treasured landscapes, ecosystems, and historical sites -- all protected in America’s nearly 400 national parks. Chartered by Congress, the National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks. We work hand in hand with the National Park Service to help connect you and all Americans to the parks, and to make sure that they are preserved for the generations who will follow. Join us – This is Your Land.